History of Land Surveying
| Type of study | Bachelor |
|---|---|
| Language of instruction | Czech |
| Code | 544-0023/06 |
| Abbreviation | DZ |
| Course title | History of Land Surveying |
| Credits | 3 |
| Coordinating department | Department of Geodesy and Mine Surveying |
| Course coordinator | RNDr. Ladislav Plánka, CSc. |
Subject syllabus
1. Prehistory and antiquity in geodesy and cartography.
2. The middle ages in cartography (ecclesiastical, maritime, non-European cartography) and geodesy.
3. Discoveries and travelers, significant geodetic figures and expeditions.
4. Renaissance and reformation in geodesy and cartography.
5. Old and historical instruments and instruments for measuring basic geodetic quantities and for cartometric tasks.
6. Development of leveling, tachymetry, trigonometry and photogrammetry.
7. Development of instrumentation and methods of mining.
8. Detailed mapping of European countries, development of land registry in the territory of the Habsburg monarchy.
9. Old and historical cartographic works on the territory of Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia (and Slovakia).
10. Institutional provision of geodetic and cartographic services in the past.
11. Significant producers of geodetic instruments and aids and significant cartographic houses, their history.
12. Development of automation and digital methods in geodesy and cartography.
13. Significant map collections and archives, museums and geodetic artifacts in the landscape
2. The middle ages in cartography (ecclesiastical, maritime, non-European cartography) and geodesy.
3. Discoveries and travelers, significant geodetic figures and expeditions.
4. Renaissance and reformation in geodesy and cartography.
5. Old and historical instruments and instruments for measuring basic geodetic quantities and for cartometric tasks.
6. Development of leveling, tachymetry, trigonometry and photogrammetry.
7. Development of instrumentation and methods of mining.
8. Detailed mapping of European countries, development of land registry in the territory of the Habsburg monarchy.
9. Old and historical cartographic works on the territory of Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia (and Slovakia).
10. Institutional provision of geodetic and cartographic services in the past.
11. Significant producers of geodetic instruments and aids and significant cartographic houses, their history.
12. Development of automation and digital methods in geodesy and cartography.
13. Significant map collections and archives, museums and geodetic artifacts in the landscape
E-learning
Literature
LEWIS, Michael Jonathan Taunton. Surveying Instruments of Greece and Rome. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001. 389 p. ISBN 978-0-521-79297-4 .
DE GRAEVE, Jan and Jim SMITH. History of Surveying. FIG Publication No. 50. Copenhagen: International Federation of Surveyors, 2010. 34 p. ISBN 978-87-90907-81-5 .
HARLEY, J. B. and David WOODWARD, eds. The History of Cartography. Volume One: Cartography in Prehistoric, Ancient, and Medieval Europe and the Mediterranean. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1987. [online]. Available from: https://press.uchicago.edu/books/HOC/ [cit. 24 August 2026].
MILLER, Frederic P.; VANDOME, Agnes F. and John McBREWSTER, eds. History of Geodesy. Alphascript Publishing, 2010. 136 p.
DE GRAEVE, Jan and Jim SMITH. History of Surveying. FIG Publication No. 50. Copenhagen: International Federation of Surveyors, 2010. 34 p. ISBN 978-87-90907-81-5 .
HARLEY, J. B. and David WOODWARD, eds. The History of Cartography. Volume One: Cartography in Prehistoric, Ancient, and Medieval Europe and the Mediterranean. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1987. [online]. Available from: https://press.uchicago.edu/books/HOC/ [cit. 24 August 2026].
MILLER, Frederic P.; VANDOME, Agnes F. and John McBREWSTER, eds. History of Geodesy. Alphascript Publishing, 2010. 136 p.
Advised literature
BLACK, Jeremy. Visions of the World: A History of Maps. London: Mitchell Beazley, 2003. 176 p.
VIRTUAL MUSEUM OF SURVEYING. Virtual Museum of Surveying [online]. Available from: http://www.surveyhistory.org/ [cit. 24 August 2026].
HARLEY, J. B. and David WOODWARD, eds. The History of Cartography. Volume Three: Cartography in the European Renaissance. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2007. [online]. Available from: https://press.uchicago.edu/books/HOC/ [cit. 24 August 2026].
PETERSON, Michael P. Maps and the Internet. Oxford: Elsevier, 2003. 230 p. ISBN 978-0-08-044201-7 .
VIRTUAL MUSEUM OF SURVEYING. Virtual Museum of Surveying [online]. Available from: http://www.surveyhistory.org/ [cit. 24 August 2026].
HARLEY, J. B. and David WOODWARD, eds. The History of Cartography. Volume Three: Cartography in the European Renaissance. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2007. [online]. Available from: https://press.uchicago.edu/books/HOC/ [cit. 24 August 2026].
PETERSON, Michael P. Maps and the Internet. Oxford: Elsevier, 2003. 230 p. ISBN 978-0-08-044201-7 .